Monkeypox will likely make its way to Manitoba: virologist

As the number of monkeypox cases in Canada reaches 500, one virologist is saying that the rare disease will likely make its way to Manitoba.

Jason Kindrachuk, an assistant professor and Canada research chair at the University of Manitoba, explained that over the last few months there’s been a global increase in cases of monkeypox in regions where the virus isn’t usually found.

“It can move into either men or women. It can move into children. It certainly stands across age groups,” he said in an interview on Thursday.

Kindrachuk added that so far there have been no confirmed cases of monkeypox in Manitoba. However, it has been confirmed in nearby provinces, with the first confirmed case detected in Saskatchewan this week.

He noted that with travel opening up and the fact that Canada is a globalized society, it is likely that there will be monkeypox cases in Manitoba eventually.

“The trends globally do not show any signs that transmission is either plateauing or decreasing,” he said.

“So the unfortunate reality is that we likely will see cases.”

Kindrachuk said if you are showing any symptoms that look somewhat like monkeypox it’s important to report them to a physician. Symptoms could include fever, rash, headache, chills and swollen lymph nodes.

He added the virus is transmitted through close contact.

“People that have lesions or contact with somebody else or they’re in close proximity, and potentially through droplets or short-range aerosols there may be some transmission of cases,” Kindrachuk explained.

“But that close contact or that extended contact seems to be important.”